Cycling Academy

Our Cycling Academy aims to bring together talented and aspiring racing cyclists aged 16 to 18 in order to progress their skills, fitness and their capacity to become elite category senior riders. It's the only one of its kind in the UK and as such has some of the country's very best junior riders coming through it. The programme aims to expose all riders to as wide a range of cycling disciplines as possible throughout the two years whilst still allowing riders to specialise as individuals.

The academy provides the chance for talented aspiring riders to progress from the youth ranks right the way through to the senior ranks. Our aim is simple: to help each and every riders develop their physiological capacity and racing to enable them to become the best rider they can.

This is done through a strong team ethic within the training group which trains together every day. Alongside this there is a full physiotherapy, strength and conditioning program run by our dedicated cycling-specific physio, strength and conditioning test.

The Monday to Friday program sits alongside your education within Oaklands College, home of the Oaklands Wolves Academies. The cycling academy will train every morning and have afternoons set aside for lessons and tutorials. Wednesday however will be a day solely for academy training, physio and our unique cycling theory lessons which cover topics such as nutrition, the history of the sport, race tactics, the demands of ‘pro life’, season and career planning and much more.

Facilities

Students train regularly at the Gosling Stadium Velodrome in Welwyn Garden City where they take full benefit of the track.

Beyond this, the vast majority of academy training takes place on the quiet lanes and rural roads stretching out from St Albans in the direction of the Chiltern Hills and surrounding counties of Bedfordshire, Essex and Buckinghamshire, all of which the academy reaches in its endurance training. To compliment the roads are the diverse network of off road trails, fields and woods which are within easy reach of the academy base.

The training model on which the academy is based closely mirrors models found in elite athletics whereby the academy trains together day by day (allowing for individual peaks and tweaks) and the athletes then go back to their clubs and teams to reap the benefits gained within that environment.

Alongside your on-the-bike training you will have regular strength and conditioning (gym and plyometric) sessions in our performance gym with our specialist coaches and there will be specific slots for you to book massages/physio treatment with one of our academy therapists.

Progression opportunities

Oaklands College partner with Writtle University College in Essex, offering students an option to continue their education on the England Cycling Academy Pathway (EECAP). This means that students could join the Writtle cycling academy and study Cycling Sport Physiology degree programme at Writtle University College.

Students progressing from Oaklands to Writtle will therefore in effect be part of a four year academy program alongside studying for both further and higher level qualifications. Both academies will also join-up for special training sessions (often race focussed) and there will be a sharing of ideas and best practice between them and us.

Find out more about our Cycling Academy

Entry into the academy follows your acceptance on the course of your choice but your first step should be to express your interest via email to Jez Cox, Head of Cycling, at cycling@oaklands.ac.uk.